How to Learn the Back Lever
The full back lever is a horizontal hang below the bar with your body completely straight and facing the floor, a classic straight-arm strength skill for the shoulders, biceps and back.
Back Lever technique
- Start from a controlled inverted hang
- Lock your elbows and keep your arms straight
- Pull your shoulders down and keep them strong and stable
- Brace your core, squeeze your glutes, and tuck your pelvis slightly
- Lower slowly into the Back Lever with your face toward the floor
- Keep your body parallel to the floor
- Keep your legs together with pointed toes
- With an underhand grip, lower extra slowly to protect your biceps
Key progressions
These are the main building blocks you work on before the Back Lever feels solid:
- Back Lever Straddle Hold
- Band-Assisted Back Lever Hold
- Back Lever Leg Extension Raise
The 3-stage training path
In Raw Control the Back Lever is split into Training 1 → 2 → 3. Each stage is a structured session of four exercises:
Training 1
- Tuck Back Lever Hold
- Back Lever Straddle Leg Extension Raise
- Back Lever Straddle Hold
- Reverse Hyper Extension
Training 2
- Skin The Cat
- Back Lever Leg Extension Raise
- Band-Assisted Back Lever Hold
- Band-Assisted Planche Body Lift
Training 3
- Back Lever Leg Extension Raise
- Band-Assisted Back Lever Negative
- Back Lever Hold
- Band-Assisted Planche Body Lift
Exact sets, reps, hold times and rest periods, plus a full-screen HD video for every exercise, are in the app.
Where the Back Lever fits
Each skill line runs through all three levels. This is the path for the Back Lever:
More expert skills
Train the Back Lever with Raw Control
Every training comes with exact sets, holds and rest times, a full-screen HD coaching video for each exercise, warm-ups and offline downloads.
General fitness information only. Warm up properly, train within your ability and stop if you feel pain. Read the Health & Safety Disclaimer.